Rebirth (Completed) in Editing

CHAPTER ONE

Savannah hugged her oldest daughter tightly and let the tears come. Today was one of the hardest days of her life. She couldn't let go.

"Mom, let go. I can't breath."

Savannah laughed and released her daughter. "I'm sorry Laura. It isn't everyday I leave my child at college for the first time."

Laura, age 18 and a beautiful girl with brown skin and shoulder length black hair, hugged her mother one more time. "I'm going to miss you too."

"You're only going to miss your mother? What am I doing here then?" The brash male voice chilled the room.

Savannah released her child and stepped back. Their youngest child, Laila, age 17 went over to stand with her mother.

     "I'm going to miss you too, Dad." Laura pasted on a smile and went to hug her father who wasn't really trying to hug her back.

          Revari Hart was a good looking man at the age of 39. He was just over six feet tall, fit and had jet black curly hair that the girls inherited from him. He was also a beast of a man, prone to jealousy, irrational behavior, violence and disloyalty. Everyone just called him Rev, and loved him as a saint. They didn't know him.

       "Uh huh, I heard you and your mother in here talking and crying. I'm nobody." Rev moved away and started to go back out of the door.

"Dad!" Laura went to him. "You know you are going to be missed. How about we have a family dinner tonight before you have to drive back to Tampa?"

Rev shrugged off his daughter and left the room. Laura looked at her mother, angry and sad.

"Why does he have to be that way?"

Savannah hugged her oldest daughter. "I don't know. But, you don't have to worry about it again. You are free now baby girl. You are a FAMU Diamond and I can't wait to see you on the field. I'm going to try to be at your games."

Laila went to hug her sister. "I love you, Sis. I'll be right here where you are next year."

Laura smiled. "You go lead the girls now. I'm leaving them in your hands."

Laila smiled thinking about her high school dance squad, the Diva Girls that she was now the captain of. "You know it. I'll make sure you get the videos."

Savannah loved her girls and was so happy that they would finally be able to live their lives free of stress and domestic drama. She just hoped they made better choices in husbands than she did.

     "You have enough money in your account?" Savannah asked.

     Laura nodded. "Yes, Mom. In my own private account, not the one Dad set up for me. I left a couple of hundred dollars in that one."

"Good girl." It sucked the Savannah had to set up each of her girls, separate accounts that Rev didn't know about. He was quick about getting access through manipulation and threats and then taking money out.

"Let me know if you need anything else. Your scholarship is taking care of school so you just relax, study hard, and have fun. Be safe and please make good choices, smart choices. Text me if you need me." Savannah got on more hug as did Laila.

"Take care of yourself, Sis."

Savannah found Rev in the car pouting. He couldn't leave like he'd done before because she had the keys to her Dodge Durango.